


Love is  a Spin on Gyro’s Crazy Machines

by analyticamethyst



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Della and Launchpad are reckless lovestruck fools, Delpad Day, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-26 03:00:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17737721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/analyticamethyst/pseuds/analyticamethyst
Summary: Della and Launchpad sneak out at 3 am on the date of the century to take a test spin on one of Gyro’s new inventions. Written for Delpad day.





	Love is  a Spin on Gyro’s Crazy Machines

Somewhere in Scrooge McDuck’s great mansion, a grandfather clock strikes three times. The chimes ring loudly in the silence of the night, disturbed by only the wind and the whirring of machines.

 

And the quiet, telltale footsteps of someone who is not supposed to be awake.

 

A bedroom door creaks open and its inhabitant, fully dressed, meticulously checks both ways down the hallway. Snores float out of a few of the doorways and they chuckle fondly to themself before slipping away.

 

They tiptoe through endless hallways, stopping at the kitchen to check furtively for a snack that Mrs. Beakley wouldn’t notice missing before shaking their head and leaving empty-handed. They continue to the den, stopping to brush potato chip crumbs off of the couch.

 

Finally, they make it to the grand staircase. They pause for a moment, considering their options, before leaping onto the banister and sliding down. They grin with unbridled glee, but manage to keep from shouting in joy.

 

It doesn’t matter, they’ll be able to shout happily to their heart’s content soon anyway.

 

They sneakily leap off the banister on soft feet and hurry not towards the front door, but into the garage. They don’t spare a passing glance to any of the priceless artifacts, but instead head straight for a side door. They turn the handle. It’s unlocked.

 

Light spills into the garage, and they flinch for a moment at the brightness before heading into the light and shutting the door behind them with a click.  Their posture straightens, and they dash for another figure.

 

Launchpad turns, brushing off his coat, just in time to catch her in her arms. His deep chuckle warms the whole room and gets her laughing too. “Della! Sleep well?”

 

Della beams at him, savoring the hug for a moment too long before sliding to the ground. “I couldn’t, I was too excited.” she confesses. “But don’t worry, I’m full of energy!”

 

Launchpad chuckles again and tucks an arm around her shoulders, leading her to the car. “Glad to hear it babe.”

 

He opens the door for her, bowing and holding out his hand to help her in. She giggles and slides into the seat, smiling fondly.

 

Launchpad clicks off the radio he has on during Scrooge’s company (oldies) and instead puts in a CD with a familiar purple-clad hero smirking on the cover. Boisterous saxophone music fills the air, and Della and Launchpad happily sing along. They make their voices as bad and loud as possible, and by the time they reach their destination they’re laughing too hard to sing along.

 

The car skids onto the beach, just barely stopping before it slides off the cliff. Della hops out before the limoscene is fully stopped, grinning in exhilaration. She takes a few deep breaths, savoring the cool night air, before rushing to greet her friend.

 

Gyro is leaning on the shining surface of his latest crazy contraption, scowling. Steam rises into the air from his ever-present coffee. His sour expression lessens a little as Della approaches, and she beams back. “Lovely to see you too, hun. How’s it going?” Before she can answer she grabs his coffee out of his hands and takes a sip before wrinkling her nose. “Black.”

 

Gyro grabs it back. “What else do you expect? And Della, that coffee is burning hot!”

 

Della shrugs. “It’s fine.”

 

He snorts in disbelief. “It’s your burned tongue.”

 

The car keys beep behind them as Launchpad locks it and bounds over to them. “Hey, Gyro! You’re looking energetic!”

 

Gyro’s scowl deepens. “It’s called coffee, Launchpad. You should try it sometime.”

 

Della raises an eyebrow. “He’s more than bouncy enough without it, don’t ya think?”

 

Gyro shrugs. “Honestly, I’d like to see what would happen.”

 

Della snorts. “Fair enough.” She tilts her head back to look at the machine. “Can we try it now?”

 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Gyro flings out his hands protectively in front of his invention. Some of his coffee splashes on the ground. “First, we need to lay some ground rules.”

 

Launchpad puts an arm around his girlfriend. “Del, we don’t want to break it.”

 

Della rolls her eyes. “Fine.”

 

Gyro huffs. “I can’t believe I’m trusting you to do this,” he mutters under his breath. “First of all,  _ don’t  _ put it on maximum power. Only go over halfway. Use seat belts. Don’t put over four hundred pounds on it at one time. And make sure the treads are locked! If it gets mud on it, clean it off before I see it. And if I see even  _ one  _ scratch on this baby-”

 

Della rolls her eyes. “Fine, fine. We get it. Now let’s get this baby up and running!”

 

Gyro mutters something incomprehensible under his breath and turns to the machine, toggling switches and pressing buttons. The invention comes to life with a quiet hum, the unnatural green glow lighting up the cliffs.

 

As soon as he’s done Della leaps into a seat. Launchpad isn’t far behind, and they buckle their seatbelts.

 

Gyro glances up. “Ready?”

 

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Della replies with a wink and a grin. Gyro groans. “Enough with the dumb references, girl.”

 

The scientist flips a switch and steps back, crossing his arms. He tries to hide his fear beneath annoyance.

 

Della catches on and smiles comfortingly down at him. “Don’t worry, we’ll be fine!”

 

Gyro nods, but he’s not so sure.

 

Launchpad flashes him a thumbs-up and a big grin as they both turn back around. The machine whirs faster and faster, and its arms begin to spin. The one carrying Della and Launchpad picks up speed, and Della’s excited whoop carries across the beach.

 

Launchpad’s teeth chatter and he clutches onto his girlfriend, who’s leaning forward in her seat. Her loose hair whips behind her. She glances at Launchpad and wraps her arms around him. He relaxes in her arms, melting into a puddle of goo.

 

The edges of Duckberg and Gyro’s screaming blur away around them as they gaze at each other. Spinning on Gyro’s invention, the world falls away and it’s only the two of them. They may be freezing to the bone, maybe about to die, and terrified (well, Launchpad is terrified) but at the moment they’re perfectly happy because they have each other.

 

Just then, the machine slowly whirs to a stop. Their seat ejects them at the last second, popping them out onto the ground. Della lands first and catches Launchpad in her arms with ease.

 

Gyro is at their sides in an instant, panting. He surveys the machine. “I still have to work on it,” he mumbles. “It doesn’t throw far enough.”

 

Launchpad tears his love-struck eyes away from Della. “Believe me, Dr. G, you’ve built something out of this world! I love the way we landed!”

 

“Of course you did,” Gyro mutters, but he’s scowling a little less.

 

Della smiles at her friend. “It was great, Gy. Thanks. We’ll be ready when you want us to test it again!”

 

“I don’t know if I want to,” Gyro replies snarkily, but he’s actually smiling now. A little.

 

Della sets Launchpad down and he plants a kiss on her head as he goes, causing them to both blush and giggle. Gyro rolls his eyes.

 

“So, how did your date go?” Della asks as she flips a few switches to help Gyro power down his contraption.

 

Gyro blushes cherry red and shoves her away. “Hey! G-Go make out with your boyfriend somewhere!! You don’t know what you’re doing anyway!”

 

Della chuckles. “That, I can do.” She scoops up Launchpad again and they head for the car. 

 

After the limoscene pulls up into Scrooge’s garage, Della and Launchpad remain in the car. They lean into each other, shoulders touching, and just lie in the comfort of each other. Darkwing Duck fills the car as Della reaches out and places her hands on Launchpad’s warm, fluffy cheeks. But it’s Launchpad who leans in for a slow, long kiss.

 

\--

 

Six hours later, Scrooge pulls out his executive key set and opens the limo to find Della cuddled up happily on Launchpad’s lap, his baseball cap askew on her hair, dark red lipstick stains on his cheek, and the two both happily, sound asleep. He sighs fondly and smacks his head with his palm. “Guess I’m takin’ yer car, Donald.”

 

“Hey, I have a job too!” Donald snaps, but he’s too busy with Louie taking blackmail photos of his sister.

 

Huey beams. “Aw, cute. Mom’s found love.”

 

“No,  _ ew _ ,” Dewey replies. “That’s my best friend, ya know.

 

“Shut up Dewford, we’re adorable,” Della mutters sleepily, and everyone laughs.

 

Scrooge nudges her with his cane. “Ah, up and at ‘em, lass. The day is young.”

 

“Kinda busy, Uncle Scrooge,” she replies, not opening her eyes.

 

After three more nudges, she finally gets up, pulling Launchpad in with her. She glances back slyly at her family and pulls Launchpad into a deep, early-morning kiss.

 

“Ewwwww!!” exclaim all the kids at one. Donald flings his hands over Louie’s and Dewey’s eyes. Huey flings his hands over Webby’s.

Scrooge snorts. “Enjoy your day off, lovebirds. It’s coming out of your paycheck.”

 

Launchpad’s voice is muffled. “Fine by me, Mr. McDee. I’ll be spending it well.”

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Delpad Day! I can’t write romance :P
> 
> This is a companion piece to It’s Love, Not Rocket Science!


End file.
